I play the lottery. I don't "expect" to win. It would simply be a life changing experience if I ever do. I try to moderate my play, remember the odds, and have realistic expectations.
I'm not one for the scratchers or the pick 3 or 4. I must say that I feel in the minority in my shun of the scratch off games because they appear to be very popular where I play my number picks.
I play the big games like Megamillions, Powerball, and Lucky for Life and try to maintain strict budgetary restraints I lacked early on.
Last week I received the news from my lottery vendor that the SC Education Lottery is dropping the game Lucky for Life in favor of enhancements to their pick 3 and pick 4 games, i.e., "Fireball".
Later, I hit the SC Education Lottery site which made the announcement:
Lucky For LifeĀ® is no longer available for purchase. Winning ticket holders have 180 days from the draw date to claim a prize.
For the duration of this game I have been playing two 5 set cards each week for as long as the game has been available to this jurisdiction. Since that game is not actually "ending" — just being "dropped" — it is possible that those numbers I have been playing along and along from the beginning might 'hit' and be winners ... in some other jurisdiction. This would be a great frustration for me personally due to a decision made by some arbitarily chosen perfunctory state employee who could really care less about me at all.
Sometimes I think those people chosen by the government to run the SC Education Lottery can't really tell their asses from holes in the ground. In evidence I give you the crook Ernie Passailaigue who has certainly seen better days in the reputation and popularity of those he has served in the past.